|
Spring
Treasure Hunt Clues
 Holding an Easter egg hunt this
spring? Perhaps you would like to add a twist and include
a scavenger hunt of sorts. Or, if you are looking for a
fun springtime activity, send your child and her friends on a
treasure hunt to discover the season. Here are some
simple clues to get your scavengers searching:
Bunny: Fluffy and white, soon I’ll come
and hide all the surprises in sight!
Flower: Ready to bud and bloom soon!
read
more... |
|
Earth
Day Celebration
 I love the song “The
Three R’s” by Jack Johnson from the Curious George CD. Of
course, the three R’s refer to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
This is a great message to remember and song to sing as we
come up on Earth
Day in April.
If you are looking for ways to celebrate the Earth with
your kids, check out these fun and easy ideas:
- If you don’t already have a bird feeder, purchase an
inexpensive one, fill it with seeds, and watch the birds
flock to your yard. It will be fun to see the birds eat
their snacks and learn about the wildlife in your area.
read
more... |
|
Plan a Spring
Cleaning Party!
 Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be all work and
no play. In fact, with the right attitude, proper motivation,
and maybe even some good food, you can practically make a
party out of it! Best of all, this is a party with a purpose,
since a successful spring cleaning party can help you shed the
layers of winter clutter and get you ready to jump into a
carefree spring and summer.
To get started, you’ll want to organize, schedule, and
create shopping lists in your family planner (we recommend Cozi).
After all, good organization leads to a good party, and you
undoubtedly want this spring cleaning party to be a great
success!
Set the date
Choose a date when the whole family
will be available, and set an all-day appointment for everyone
in your Cozi
family calendar.
Make planning lists
For an event like this,
you’ll probably need a number of lists, another thing you can
do easily in Cozi’s
family organizer. You might keep one list to prioritize the
areas of the house you most want to de-clutter, and another
for the supplies you’ll need. Don’t forget to write a list for
snacks, drinks, and special treats—spring cleaning requires
lots of energy, and if you keep your troops motivated with
different courses staggered between the cleaning of different
rooms, you’re likely to bolster morale and enthusiasm for the
project.
Invent cleaning games
To make clearing out old
toys fun for the kids, you might even create some spring
cleaning games. For example, kids can earn a special ticket
for each box of toys or clothes they get rid of. They can then
redeem their tickets at the end of the day for prizes or a fun
activity, such as ice cream cones or a movie.
Motivate the family
Most kids don’t feel as
excited about de-cluttering as adults. Even if a kid hasn’t
played with a particular toy for years, he might not want to
part with it. With this in mind, it’s good to prepare kids for
these issues in advance. Reassure your child that he won’t
have to give away his most treasured toys, but that he should
plan to fill a couple of boxes with things he doesn’t play
with anymore. If your child is motivated by helping others,
you could explain that the toys he chooses will be given to
kids without many toys to play with. If your kids are
entrepreneurially oriented, you can arrange for them to take
their items to a consignment shop and let them keep the cash
to buy something special.
Make it fun
Once the day arrives, make it fun!
Remember, you’re trying to create a party out of a chore, so
it’s up to you to make it as enjoyable as possible. Playing
lively music will help keep everyone in a good mood, as will
serving popular foods in short courses between bursts of
cleaning. Try to keep the experience positive and upbeat,
focusing on the benefits to the family from the de-cluttering
efforts. |
Easter is nearly
here!Hopefully, it will bring gorgeous weather to host an
annual tradition: the classic Easter egg hunt!Kids love to
hunt for the eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny. Given it’s
a bunny doing the hiding, it’s logical to hide the eggs
outdoors in your garden and yard. If more than one family
is participating in your Easter egg hunt, it can span across
several yards and gardens too. Plan to hide five to ten
eggs per child participating to make sure everyone gets their
fair share of goodies.
Easter will be here in a blink! If you
are looking to do an Easter or birthday party but would like
something a bit more unique, you can certainly take
inspiration from Beatrix Potter’s wonderful cast of
characters. This is a perfect theme for kids age 3 to 7 and
for a first birthday too, especially if some older kids will
be attending. You can base your activities and games on the
happenings within Potter’s books. Here are some ideas to help
you plan your party: